Ru ssia ’s Descent int o Anar ch y 1905-1917
Rulebook
GAME DESIGN: MIKE WILLNER
SYSTEM DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT: MARCO P
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prelude to Revolution is a card-driven two-player game covering the turbulent period from 1905 through October 1917. The game is set in the imperial capital of St. Petersburg (later Petrograd*) where the revolutionaries and the Tsar’s government vie for support and control in the city’s districts, as well as political control of the Duma.
Players alternate Action Rounds, playing cards to trigger Events or perform various activities. Events are historical occurrences, “what-if” speculations, or factors that influenced the history. Activities include Mobilizing Districts or the Duma, building political Organizations, or purchasing Special Actions. Victory Points are awarded when scoring is triggered through an innovative system, by card Events and other game mechanisms.
Eight Action Rounds make up a Turn. The game ends after seven Turns, or earlier if a player meets the victory conditions. Revolutionary Unrest and the Tsar’s Prestige constantly change and, if allowed to reach extremes, may end the game in the historical uprising, or the restoration of imperial autocracy!
You’ll need to balance smart card play, careful resource allocation, and an ability to cope with chaotic events to win Prelude to Revolution. Enjoy, and “All Power to the Soviets!” or “God Save the Tsar!” — take your pick!
1.0 GAME COMPONENTS
A complete game of Prelude to Revolution includes:
X 1 22” x 34” mounted game board
X 3 blue Government dice and 3 red Revolutionary dice
X 4 custom Scoring Dice
X 150 blue Government Mobilization Cubes
X 150 red Revolutionary Mobilization Cubes
X 181 cards
X 1 Revolutionary Central Committee and 1 Government Council of Ministers player board
X 2 double-sided player aids
X 136 9/16” Counters
X 1 rules booklet
If any of these parts are missing or damaged, please contact the publisher:
Compass Games LLC PO Box 271
Cromwell, CT 06416 USA
Phone: (860) 301-0477
E-Mail: support@compassgames.com
Online game support is available. Visit us on the Web: https://compassgames.com
You can also use the URL or the QR code to reach Compass Games online: https://linktr.ee/compassgames
* On August 18 1914 the Imperial capital‘s name was “Russified” to Petrograd because St. Petersburg sounded too “German”. In 1924 the name was changed to Leningrad, and in 1991 it was reverted back to St. Petersburg.
The game board is a representation of St. Petersburg (later Petrograd), the epicenter of the revolution.
Important areas of the city and its environs are represented by Districts (6.0), where each player will Mobilize and organize support.
The Duma (7.0), the political battleground in the game, is represented in the upper-center of the board. Players will struggle with each other, and with Extremist Parties of their own factions, to control the Duma.
Important game information like Victory Points (VP), Opportunity Points, and Tsar’s Prestige are also represented on the board via various tracks.
Revolutionary Mobilization Box
Government Mobilization Box Connection Arrow
Starting Cube
Organization Placeholder
Duma Party
Organization Placeholder
Military District
Military Preparations Box
The Duma
Urban District
Worker District
District
Scoring Tracks
Revolutionary Unrest Track
Tsar’s Prestige Track Victory Point Track Opportunity Point Track Opportunity Pool Turn Track
© 2022 Compass Games,
2.0 GAME SEQUENCE
A full game of Prelude to Revolution can last up to seven Turns. A Turn consists of eight Action Rounds during which each player, starting with the First Player, plays a card (3.1). A full Action Round consists of a Revolutionary and a Government Action Round, in an order determined by whoever is the First Player for the Turn. During their Action Round, a player is referred to as the Active Player.
Each Turn is also part of an Era, which corresponds to a Deck from which the players’ cards will come, called the Active Deck. The Years of Turmoil, Great War and The Collapse Decks contain Events specific to those years, as well as generic Events that did occur or could have occurred at any time during the period covered by the game.
Example: In the image below, the Early Great War and Late Great War rows each represent a Turn of the Great War Era. Each of the numbered squares represents an Action Round. For both turns, the Active Deck is the Great War Deck.
Z Districts Advantage: leftmost 3 box, Revolutionary side
Z Organizations Advantage: 0
Z World Affairs Advantage: 1, Government side
Z Duma Advantage: 4, Government side
X Place markers next to each of the six Special Actions on the Government Council of Ministers and Revolutionary Central Committee Special Actions Cards (10.3).
X Add a 4 VP Loyal Troops Marker to the Military Preparations Box.
X Set the Key Event cards aside, and sort them by their turn of entry, listed in the upper-right corner (Early Turmoil, Late Turmoil, Early Great War, Late Great War, February 1917, July 1917). These cards are not part of any Deck and will eventually be placed directly into the Opportunity Pool (8.0).
X Set aside the Provisional Government cards, which will only come into play if the Tsar Abdicates (12.1).
X Shuffle the three Era Decks separately (Years of Turmoil, Great War, The Collapse). These cards will be used to create the players’ starting hands and fill the Opportunity Pool at the start of each Turn.
2.2 Start of Turn
Place cards in the Opportunity Pool (8.0):
X Early Years of Turmoil: Top four cards of the Years of Turmoil Deck + Peter Stolypin Key Event
2.1 Start of Game
X Determine who will be the Revolutionary and who will be the Government. It is recommended that players sit side by side, facing the game board, the Revolutionary to the left and the Government to the right.
X Place Mobilization Cubes on all shaded Mobilization Boxes in the Districts (6.0) and the Duma Parties (7.0):
Z Kronstadt Naval Base: 2 Revolutionary
Z Reserve Regiment Barracks: 1 Revolutionary
Z Vasilevskiy Island: 1 Revolutionary
Z Putilov Munitions Works: 1 Revolutionary
Z Winter Palace: 1 Government
Z Guards Regiment Barracks: 1 Revolutionary, 2 Government
Z Obukhov Steel Works: 1 Revolutionary
Z Okhrana HQ: 1 Government
Z Nevsky Shipyards: 2 Revolutionary
Z Kazan Cathedral: 1 Revolutionary
Z Vyborg District: 1 Revolutionary
Z Nevsky Prospect: 1 Revolutionary
Z Capital Garrison Barracks: 1 Revolutionary, 1 Government
Z State Bank: 1 Government
Z Smolny Institute: 1 Revolutionary
Z Radical Party: 1 Revolutionary
Z Socialist Party: 2 Revolutionary
Z Liberal Party: 3 Government
Z Monarchist Party: 2 Government
X Place each marker on the starting box (shown by a thick black outline) on its track:
Z VP: 0
Z Opportunity Points: 8, both Revolutionary and Government
Z Revolutionary Unrest: 0
Z Tsar’s Prestige: 7
Z Scoring: “Start” box on each track
X Late Years of Turmoil: Top two cards of the Years of Turmoil Deck + Vote on Land Reform Key Event
X Early Great War: Top four cards of the Great War Deck + WAR! and Grigori Rasputin Key Events
X Late Great War: Top two cards of the Great War Deck + Nicholas II Takes Command Key Event
X February 1917: Top four cards of The Collapse Deck +
Z Alexander Kerensky and Vladimir Lenin Key Events
Z If the Tsar has not yet Abdicated: Tsar Grants Constitution Key Event as well
X July 1917: Top two cards of The Collapse Deck +
Z If the Tsar has Abdicated: Elect the Constituent Assembly and Petrograd Soviet Key Events
Z Otherwise: Duma Elects Council of Ministers Key Event
X October 1917: Top two cards of The Collapse Deck
Draw cards:
Each player draws cards from the Active Deck, up to a hand size of seven.
Initiative:
X The player behind on VP selects who will be First Player for the Turn (if tied, the Revolutionary decides). The other player will be the Second Player.
X Place the Action Round Marker on the “1” space of the current Turn, on the side of the First Player’s faction.
X The First Player then takes their first Action Round (see next).
2.3 Start of Action Round
The player whose faction is shown on the Action Round Marker chooses between:
1. Playing a card from their hand (3.1);
2. Playing a card from the Opportunity Pool (8.0);
3. Passing (only if there are no cards remaining in the player’s hand). Then proceed to the End of Action Round (see next).
2.4 End of Action Round
1. If this is the last Action Round of a Duma Session and the Second Player’s Action Round, conduct a Duma Vote (7.3).
2. Events that trigger at the end of the Action Round are resolved.
3. Perform End of Game checks (2.6).
4. If the Tsar’s Prestige Marker has reached zero, perform the Tsar Abdication procedure (12.1).
5. If this was the 8th Action Round and the Second Player’s Action Round, proceed to End of Turn (2.5).
Otherwise, flip the Action Round Marker. If this was the Second Player’s Action Round, advance the Action Round Marker one space on the Turn Track. Then proceed to Start of Action Round (2.3).
2.5 End of Turn
1. Events that trigger at the end of the Turn are resolved. If multiple such Events need to be resolved, the First Player decides the order in which they are resolved.
2. Events lasting until the end of the Turn are discarded.
3. Move the Revolutionary Unrest Marker up one space.
4. Perform End of Game checks (2.6).
5. If this is the end of the Late Years of Turmoil or the Late Great War Turn, all cards from both players’ hands, from play, and from the Opportunity Pool are discarded.
6. Each player gains 8 Opportunity Points, up to a maximum of 16.
7. Proceed to Start of Turn (2.2).
2.6 End of Game
The game can end in one of several ways. Check these game-end conditions (in the following order) during the End of Action Round and End of Turn procedures:
1. If the Revolutionary Unrest Marker has reached 15, perform the “Red October!” sequence (11.2).
2. If the Tsar’s Prestige Marker has reached 15, the game ends and both players lose.
3. At the end of the October 1917 Turn, perform the scoring sequence for each Scoring Track once (5.0). Then, the player ahead on the VP Track wins. If tied, the Government wins.
4. A player with 20+ VP wins the game.
3.0 CARDS
The cards represent events, influences, and ideologies that impacted revolutionary Russia. The three Era Decks (Years of Turmoil, Great War, and The Collapse) correspond to the three Eras on the Turn Track. Each card is associated with one of the factions or neutral and has both an Event and a number of Activity Points.
Players draw from the Active Deck up to a hand size of seven at the start of each Turn. Cards from the Active Deck are also used to populate the Opportunity Pool (8.0).
An additional set of cards (Provisional Government) only comes into play if the Tsar Abdicates (12.1). The Key Events represent the major events and personalities fundamental to a given Era. These cards are placed directly into the Opportunity Pool at the start of the Turn listed in their upper-right corner.
3.1 Playing a Card
In each of their Action Rounds, a player plays one card from their hand or the Opportunity Pool (8.0). A player can only pass if they have no cards in hand.
When the Active Player plays their own faction’s card from their hand, they either:
X Play the card’s Event (if the prerequisite is met). The card is then discarded unless its special instruction states otherwise.
X Play the card for its Activity Points (10.0). The card is then discarded.
When the Active Player plays a neutral card from their hand, they either:
X Play the card’s Event (if the prerequisite is met). The card is then discarded unless its special instruction states otherwise.
X Play the card for its Activity Points. The card is then placed in the Opportunity Pool.
When the Active Player plays a card associated with the opposing faction, they must play it for its Activity Points. Then:
X If the Event’s prerequisite is met, their opponent must play it, making all indicated decisions. The card is then discarded unless its special instruction states otherwise.
X If the Event’s prerequisite is not met, the card is placed in the Opportunity Pool and their opponent gains Opportunity Points equal to half the Activity Point value of the played card.
IMPORTANT: After playing a card in their Action Round, a player rolls the Scoring Die associated with it (4.0).
Example #1: The Government plays the Revolutionary card #28 Influence at Court from their hand. They spend 2 Activity Points (AP) as they wish, then the Revolutionary triggers the Event, adding 3 Cubes in Winter Palace
Next, the Revolutionary plays the Revolutionary card #46 A Revolutionary Assembly! from their hand for the AP. The AP are spent and the card is discarded.
Example #2: The Revolutionary plays the Government card #146 The Nation Stands with the Tsar. After spending 6 AP, the card is placed in the Government area of the Opportunity Pool as the Event’s prerequisite is not met — the Duma is not in Session. The Government gains 3 Opportunity Points (which is half the AP value of the card).
Prelude to
3.2 Card Terminology
+x on the World Affairs Track: Move the World Affairs Advantage Marker x boxes toward the specified faction.
Add x Cubes in <Districts> or <Parties>: Take the specified number of Cubes and add them in the specified Districts/Parties. A player ignores the additional Mobilization costs when adding Cubes this way.
Add x Cubes in the Duma: Take the specified number of Cubes and add them in Duma Parties any way you choose.
Remove x Cubes from <Districts> or <Parties>: Remove that many Cubes from the Districts/Parties specified. If you can remove Cubes, you must do so. If there are not enough Cubes in the Districts/Parties specified, you must remove all of them
3.3 Card Anatomy
Scoring Die: The Scoring Die (or Dice) a player rolls immediately after playing this card (4.0).
Faction: The faction associated with the card — Revolutionary (red star) or Government (doubleheaded eagle). Neutral cards show both symbols.
Revolutionary Government Neutral
Spend: A player must have something to be able to spend it. For instance, if a card asks a player to spend 2 Opportunity Points, that player must have at least that many Opportunity Points and must lower their Opportunity Points Marker by 2 if they decide to go forward.
Duma in Session: See 7.2.
Random District: See 13.0.
Perform a Growing Extremism roll: See 7.1.1.
By default, a card’s prerequisite and Event refer to the faction associated with it. For example, on a Revolutionary card, terms such as “you” refer to the Revolutionary, and if the card’s Event says to add 2 Cubes, add Revolutionary Cubes. In the case of neutral cards, the Active Player makes the relevant decisions unless otherwise specified on the card.
Era/Turn of entry: The upper-right corner of a card will most often indicate the Era Deck the card belongs to (Years of Turmoil, Great War or The Collapse). In the case of a Key Event, it will be the specific Turn at the start of which the card is put into the Opportunity Pool (2.2). Cards labeled as Provisional Government are set aside at the beginning of the game and enter play only if the Tsar Abdicates (12.1).
Key Event Card Provisional Government Card
Activity Points: The number of Activity Points (10.0) the card is worth should a player use it to perform activities. Also represents the Opportunity Point cost to play the card if it’s in the Opportunity Pool (8.0).
Title: The theme of the event, influence, personality, or ideology associated with the card.
Prerequisite: Necessary condition to play the card’s Event.
Special Instruction: Will indicate if the card remains in play until the end of the Turn, the Era, or the game when played as an Event. If nothing is mentioned, the card is discarded when played as an Event.
Event: The instructions to follow should a player decide to play the card’s Event.
Historical Background: Additional information of interest to learn more about the theme but irrelevant for gameplay.
Card Number: A sequential card number to help identify the cards.
4.0 SCORING DIE
Each card has one of four Scoring Dice printed on it: Districts (DI), Organizations (O), World Affairs (WA), or Duma (DU). Immediately after playing a card, the Active Player rolls the specified die and advances the Scoring Marker of the Scoring Track rolled by one box. If the Scoring Marker is then in the “Score” box, players perform the scoring sequence for that track (5.0).
X The Scoring Die is rolled after the card play is complete. It’s the very last thing that happens before the card is either discarded, set aside to remain in play, or placed in the Opportunity Pool (8.0).
X A Scoring Die is rolled even if the card is played from the Opportunity Pool.
X Some cards specify that the Scoring Die to be rolled is chosen by the Revolutionary or Government.
X In place of a specific Scoring Die, some Key Events specify “All”, which means that when they are played, each Scoring Die must be rolled once in the following order: Districts, Organizations, World Affairs, and Duma. The dice are rolled and resolved one at a time. If a track scores, that scoring occurs before the remaining dice are rolled.
Example #2: The Government plays card #33 Government Activities for the Activity Points. The Scoring Die indicated is the Government’s choice. As the Government is way ahead on the Organizations Scoring Track, they choose to roll the O Scoring Die.
Example #3: The Government plays card #406 Alexander Kerensky from the Opportunity Pool. Once the card’s Event has been completed, they roll all the Scoring Dice in the order specified on the left, as indicated on the card.
5.0 SCORING TRACKS
Four tracks are used to measure the posture of each player in relation to key issues of the conflict. Each track has an Advantage Marker showing which player is currently favored, as well as a Scoring Marker that has a chance to move one box to the right every time a card is played (3.1). When the Scoring Marker reaches the “Score” box, it triggers a specific sequence of activities described below. Most importantly, the player favored on the track will be awarded the corresponding number of VP.
Note: Each Scoring Die is a custom 6-sided die. Three faces of the die bear the die’s associated Scoring Track while the other three faces bear the abbreviations corresponding to the three other Scoring Tracks. For example, the Duma Scoring Die has three Duma faces, one Organizations face, one World Affairs face, and one Districts face.
Example #1: The Revolutionary plays card #18 Political Tremors for the Event. Once the card’s Event has been completed, the Scoring Die indicated on the card – DU for the Duma – is rolled. The die comes up on the WA face, however, and the World Affairs Scoring Marker is advanced one box to the right.
5.1 Districts Scoring Track
This track measures which player controls the most Districts (6.0). The Advantage Marker starts on the leftmost “3” box, favoring the Revolutionary. Move the marker one box toward a faction’s side when they take control of an uncontrolled District or when a District controlled by their opponent becomes uncontrolled.
Example: If the Government, starting the game, decides to add a Cube in the Districts of Nevsky Prospect and Kazan Cathedral, which were Revolutionary controlled but are now uncontrolled, the Advantage Marker should immediately be moved 2 boxes to the right, to the leftmost “2” box, still favoring the Revolutionary.
To confirm the position of the Districts Advantage Marker, subtract the number of Districts controlled by the player who controls fewer from the number of Districts controlled by the player who controls more. Starting from the “0” space, move the Advantage Marker a number of boxes equal to the difference in favor of the dominant player.
Example: At the start of the game, the Revolutionary controls ten Districts and the Government controls four. 10 - 4 = 6 boxes toward the Revolutionary side from the “0” space.
5.1.1 Scoring Sequence
Perform the following activities in order when the Districts Scoring Track scores:
X The player favored on the track is awarded VP equal to the number printed on the space the Districts Advantage Marker is on.
X Put the Scoring Marker back on the “Start” box.
5.2 Organizations Scoring Track
This track measures which player has more Organizations (10.2). The Advantage Marker starts on the “0” box. Players can create Organizations in Parties or in Districts. The creation of a Party Organization moves the Advantage Marker two boxes in that player’s favor. The creation of a District Organization moves the Advantage Marker one box in that player’s favor.
Example: The Revolutionary creates an Organization in the Radical Party, which moves the Organizations Advantage Marker two boxes toward the Revolutionary side. The Government then creates an Organization in Okhrana HQ, moving the marker one box back toward the Government side.
5.2.1 Scoring Sequence
Perform the following activities in order when the Organizations Scoring Track scores:
X The player favored on the track is awarded VP equal to the number printed on the space the Organizations Advantage Marker is on.
X Put the Scoring Marker back on the “Start” box.
5.3 World Affairs Scoring Track
This track measures the support from global powers and the impact of events outside Russia. The Advantage Marker starts on the “1” box, favoring the Government. This track can only be influenced by Events or game mechanisms that instruct players to move the Advantage Marker some number of boxes toward a faction’s side.
The World Affairs Advantage Marker can never move beyond the “5” box on either side.
5.3.1 Scoring Sequence
Perform the following activities in order when the World Affairs Scoring Track scores:
X The player favored on the track is awarded VP equal to the number printed on the space the World Affairs Advantage Marker is on.
X Put the Scoring Marker back on the “Start” box.
5.4 Duma Scoring Track
This track measures which faction has the upper hand in the Duma. The Advantage Marker starts on the “4” box, favoring the Government. There are 3 possible levels of advantage in the Duma:
X Neutral: The Advantage Marker is set to the “0” box if both players have the same total Mobilization Value (sum of Cubes in both their Parties).
X Majority: The Advantage Marker is set to the “2” box on a faction’s side when the total Mobilization Value of its Parties is greater than the total Mobilization Value of its opponent’s Parties.
X Dominance: The Advantage Marker is set to the “4” box on a faction’s side when it holds a Majority AND the Mobilization Value of each of its Parties is equal to or greater than the highest Mobilization Value of an opposing Party.
Note: Before going through the scoring sequence, check if a faction is holding a Majority, and if so, check to see if it also holds Dominance.
After the Tsar has Abdicated (12.1), it is no longer possible to hold Dominance in the Duma. The highest level of advantage a faction can hold is a Majority.
Example: The game starts with the Government holding Dominance in the Duma – they have a Majority (five total Cubes vs. the Revolutionary’s three total Cubes) and the Government Party with the lowest Mobilization Value (Monarchist Party at 2) is equal to the Revolutionary Party with the highest Mobilization Value (Socialist Party at 2).
If the Revolutionary Mobilizes a Cube in the Radical Party, then the Government would still hold Dominance – a 5 vs. 4 Majority of Cubes, and their lowest Mobilization Value (Monarchist Party at 2) is still equal to or greater than the highest Revolutionary Mobilization Value (Radical or Socialist Party at 2).
If the Revolutionary instead Mobilizes a Cube in the Socialist Party to increase its Mobilization Value to 3, they would break the Government Dominance: the Government’s lowest Mobilization Value (Monarchist Party at 2) is no longer equal to or greater than the Revolutionary’s highest Mobilization Value (Socialist Party at 3). The Government, however, would still hold a Majority.
5.4.1 Scoring Sequence
Perform the following activities in order when the Duma Scoring Track scores:
X If the Tsar has not Abdicated: Compare the Mobilization Value of the Radical Party and the Monarchist Party. The player with the higher Mobilization Value performs a Growing Extremism roll (7.1.1). If the Mobilization Values of the compared Parties are tied, both players perform a Growing Extremism roll.
X If the Tsar has Abdicated (12.1): Both players perform a Growing Extremism roll.
X Adjust the position of the Duma Advantage Marker as needed, based upon results of the Growing Extremism roll(s).
X The player favored on the track is awarded VP equal to the number printed on the space the Duma Advantage Marker is on.
X A player scores 2 VP for each of their opponent’s Parties with a Mobilization Value of “0.”
X Put the Scoring Marker back on the “Start” box.
Example: The Tsar has not yet Abdicated. The Duma scores with the Government holding Dominance (Monarchist Party at 2, Liberal Party at 1) over the Revolutionary (Socialist Party at 1, Radical Party at 1). The Government has a higher Mobilization Value in the Monarchist Party than the Revolutionary has in the Radical Party. Therefore, the Government performs a Growing Extremism roll, which comes up 5. This causes a Cube to be removed from the Liberal Party, which erases the Government’s Dominance and Majority, setting the Duma Advantage Marker to Neutral (“0”). Furthermore, since the Liberal Party now has a Mobilization Value of “0”, the Revolutionary scores 2 VP.
6.0 DISTRICTS
The board is divided into 18 Districts, all of which came to be of particular significance at some point in the conflict.
Each District may contain a number of Revolutionary (red) and Government (blue) Mobilization Cubes in Mobilization Boxes. The number of Cubes a player has in a District is called their Mobilization Value. Some Districts start the game with a number of Revolutionary or Government Cubes, as indicated by the shaded Mobilization Boxes.
Each District is one of three subtypes:
X Worker: Represented by a hammer icon in its Organization Placeholder.
X Military: Represented by a crossed rifles icon in its Organization Placeholder.
X Urban: Any District with no icon in its Organization Placeholder. Some cards and rules refer to District subtypes.
A District is controlled by the player with the highest Mobilization Value in it currently. If both players have an equal Mobilization Value in a District (including when a District contains no Cubes at all), that District is considered uncontrolled.
Every District has a maximum Mobilization Value of 7 or 9 for each faction, based upon the historical bias of a given District to support one faction or the other.
Urban Districts are connected to some Worker/Military Districts by Connection Arrows. They are considered adjacent to these Districts. This is relevant when you perform Mobilization Checks (9.0).
7.0 DUMA
The Duma was the quasi-parliament grudgingly created by the Tsar after the military and political disasters of 1905. It gradually became the political center of gravity in Russia, where the machinations of moderate and extremist parties played out.
At the start of the game, each faction has one Moderate Party and one Extremist Party in the Duma.
Revolutionary: The Socialist Party is the Moderate Party; the Radical Party is the Extremist Party. Both can contain Revolutionary (red) Mobilization Cubes.
Government: The Liberal Party is the Moderate Party; the Monarchist Party is the Extremist Party. Both can contain Government (blue) Mobilization Cubes.
The number of Cubes a player has in a Party is called their Mobilization Value. Parties start the game with a number of Revolutionary or Government Cubes, as indicated by the shaded Mobilization Boxes. Majority or Dominance in the Duma is important when the Duma Scoring Track scores (5.4.1).
7.1 Growing Extremism Rolls
Growing Extremism rolls represent the increasing radicalization of a faction’s supporters in the Duma. As more and more deputies join their faction’s Extremist Party, moderates are tempted to follow or to quit the political arena. This situation can quickly spiral out of control.
Several moments in the game will call for Growing Extremism rolls:
X Every time the Duma Scoring Track scores (5.4.1), the player(s) with the highest Mobilization Value in their Extremist Party (both players after the Tsar has Abdicated) must perform one.
X During a Duma Vote (7.3), if a player’s Mobilization Check for its Extremist Party succeeds, they must perform one.
X During the “Red October!” sequence (11.2), each player must perform one.
X The Deliberate Provocation Government Special Action forces a player to perform one.
X Some Events will also call for specific factions to perform Growing Extremism rolls.
7.1.1 Performing a Growing Extremism Roll
X The player in question rolls a single die.
X If the check was prompted by an Event, add any specified modifier to the result.
X If the rolling player is the Revolutionary, they also add the modifier listed beside the marker’s position on the Revolutionary Unrest Track (+0, +1 or +2).
X If the rolling player is the Government, they also add the modifier listed beside the marker’s position on the Tsar’s Prestige Track (+0, +1 or +2). If the Tsar has Abdicated (12.1), the modifier is +2 until the end of the game.
Apply the check’s result as follows:
1 No effect.
2-3 Move one Cube from the rolling player’s Moderate Party to their Extremist Party.
4-5 Remove one Cube from the rolling player’s Moderate Party.
6-7 Remove one Cube from the rolling player’s Moderate Party, then move one Cube from the rolling player’s Moderate Party to their Extremist Party.
8-9 Remove one Cube from the rolling player’s Moderate Party, then move one Cube from the rolling player’s Moderate Party to their Extremist Party. In addition, the rolling player’s opponent scores 1 VP
If the rolling player is unable to move a Cube because their Extremist Party is fully Mobilized or not in play (because the Tsar has Abdicated), then they have to remove a Cube from their Moderate Party instead. If the rolling player is unable to move or remove a Cube because their Moderate Party is empty, then their opponent scores 1 VP for each Cube unable to be moved or removed.
Example: The Duma Scoring Track scores and the Revolutionary has the highest Mobilization Value in their Extremist Party. The Revolutionary Unrest Marker is at 7, so the roll will be modified with a +1. The Revolutionary rolls a 5 which is modified up to a 6. One Cube is removed from the Socialist Party (the Moderate Party) and one Cube is moved from the Socialist Party to the Radical Party (the Extremist Party).
7.2 Duma Session
Some Action Rounds are Duma Sessions, which abstractly represent times when deputies were busy debating.
An Event can have the prerequisite “Duma in Session”, which means it can only be played during a Duma Session. If played outside of a Duma Session, the prerequisite is considered not to be met.
Likewise, an Event can have the prerequisite “Duma NOT in Session”, which means it can only be played outside of a Duma Session. If played during a Duma Session, the prerequisite is considered not to be met.
After the last Action Round of a Duma Session (contiguous or individual Action Rounds with the Duma Session icon on the Turn Track), a Duma Vote is conducted (7.3).
Example: The third and fourth Action Round of the Early Great War Turn are considered to be a single Duma Session. During these two Action Rounds, Events with the “Duma in Session” prerequisite can be played. At the end of the fourth Action Round, a Duma Vote is conducted.
7.3 Duma Vote
A Duma Vote reflects the results of debates, resolutions, and recommendations for legislation. Duma Votes occur at the end of every Duma Session (7.2) and can also be triggered by Events.
When a Duma Vote is called for, each player executes the following procedure, starting with the First Player:
X Perform a Mobilization Check (9.0) with a +2 modifier in their Extremist Party (+4 if the Party has an Organization).
X If the Mobilization Check in the Extremist Party is a success, perform a Growing Extremism roll (7.1.1).
X Apply the results of the Growing Extremism roll, moving or removing Cubes if needed.
X Perform a +2 Mobilization Check in their Moderate Party (+4 if the Party has an Organization).
X Score 1 VP for each successful Mobilization Check.
Once both players are done, adjust the Duma Advantage Marker if the Growing Extremism roll(s) caused any changes (5.4). Then, if a player holds a Majority or Dominance in the Duma, that player scores 1 VP.
Example: A Duma Vote is called with the following Mobilization Values: Radical Party 5 (with an Organization), Socialist Party 2, Liberal Party 7 (with an Organization), and Monarchist Party 2. The Revolutionary, being the First Player, performs a Mobilization Check in the Radical Party with a Target Number of 9 (Mobilization Value of 5 + 4 granted by the Vote procedure, since that Party has an Organization) and gets a 7. That check is successful and scores them 1 VP, but also triggers a Growing Extremism roll. An unlucky modified result of 6 removes one Cube from the Socialist Party and forces a move of one Cube from the Socialist Party to the Radical Party, leaving it empty. The Revolutionary still performs a Mobilization Check in the Socialist Party with an abysmal Target Number of 2 (Mobilization Value of 0 + 2 granted by the Vote procedure) but fails.
The Government then performs a Mobilization Check in the Monarchist Party, rolls a triple 6 and fails. They then perform a Mobilization Check in the Liberal Party. The Target Number for this Mobilization Check is 11 (Mobilization Value of 7 + 4 granted by the Vote
procedure) and the Government rolls a 13. They decide to spend 2 Opportunity Points to increase the Target Number to 13, making the check a success, and scoring 1 VP. Additionally, the Government holds a Majority in the Duma (9 Cubes to 6 Cubes) and therefore scores 1 additional VP.
8.0 OPPORTUNITY POOL
The Opportunity Pool is an area from which cards may be played by both players. Players should group cards in the Opportunity Pool by faction below the board. Each player keeps track of their available Opportunity Points on a track located above the Opportunity Pool. Opportunity Points are used to play cards from the Opportunity Pool as well as to improve the result of a Mobilization Check (9.0). At the end of a Turn (2.5), each player gains 8 Opportunity Points, up to a maximum of 16.
Cards are placed in the Opportunity Pool in the following situations:
X At the start of each Turn (2.2), add two or four cards from the Active Deck, as well as the Key Events of the current Turn.
X Whenever a player plays a neutral card from their hand for the Activity Points.
X Whenever a player plays a card from the opposing faction and the prerequisite of that card’s Event is not met. Reminder: The Active Player’s opponent then receives Opportunity Points equal to half the card’s Activity Points value.
All cards in the Opportunity Pool are discarded at the end of the last Turn of an Era (2.5).
During their Action Round, instead of playing a card from their hand, a player may spend Opportunity Points equal to a card’s Activity Points value to play the card’s Event (associated with their faction or neutral) from the Opportunity Pool. The prerequisite of the card’s Event must be met at the time it is played.
Note: When a card is played from the Opportunity Pool, it is discarded, or remains in play if indicated by its special instruction.
9.0 MOBILIZATION CHECKS
A Mobilization Check is a way of testing if the people in a District or Party are sufficiently organized and/or enthused to perform a certain action. This does involve luck, but players have some control over the outcome. There are several types of bonuses and penalties to Mobilization Checks:
X Some actions will specify a bonus to the Mobilization Check. For example, during a Duma Vote (7.3), a player gets a +2 bonus to their Mobilization Check in a Party without an Organization or a +4 bonus if the Party has an Organization.
X Some Events will specify a bonus to the Mobilization Check. For example, card #25 Mass Unrest in St. Petersburg states to perform a +3 Mobilization Check in one Urban District.
X Some activities allow the player performing the check to spend a certain number of Activity Points (10.0) from the card they are playing for a bonus of the same value.
X If the Mobilization Check is in a Worker or Military District, each adjacent Urban District (6.0) controlled by the player performing
the check provides a +1 bonus. Likewise, each adjacent Urban District controlled by the opponent of the player performing the check incurs a -1 penalty. These bonuses/penalties are increased to +2/-2 respectively if, in addition to controlling the adjacent Urban District, a player has an Organization of their faction in it (10.2.2).
To perform a Mobilization Check, a player totals the bonuses and/ or penalties listed above to come up with a final bonus/penalty to the check. A net bonus is added to and a net penalty is subtracted from the Mobilization Value in the targeted District or Party (no actual Cubes are added or removed during this process). That becomes the Target Number. Three dice are rolled, and their sum is then compared to the Target Number. If the result is:
X Less than or equal to the Target Number – the check is a success.
X Greater than the Target Number, the player has two options:
Z Confirm the check is a failure OR
Z Spend Opportunity Points to increase the Target Number until it is equal to their result, turning the would-be failure into a success.
Example: The Revolutionary Mobilization Value in Nevsky Shipyards is 7. The Revolutionary is directed by an Event to perform a +3 Mobilization Check there. The Revolutionary controls Vyborg District but doesn’t have an Organization of their faction in it. The Government controls Okhrana HQ and has an Organization of their faction in it. Both these Urban Districts are connected to Nevsky Shipyards and thus provide a +1 bonus and a -2 penalty, respectively, to the check. The final Target Number is thus 9 (7 + 3 + 1 - 2). The Revolutionary rolls three dice and gets a sum of 10. They now have the option to confirm the check is a failure or to spend 1 Opportunity Point to increase the Target Number from 9 to 10, which would turn the check into a success.
10.0 ACTIVITY POINTS
When a player plays a card for its Activity Points (AP), they receive the card’s AP value and may spend it to perform one or more of the following activities. A player may perform more than one type of activity in the same Action Round, and activities may be performed in any order.
10.1 Mobilization
Mobilization is the most common activity and is used to increase Mobilization Value (i.e., add Cubes) in Districts or Parties. Players must always add their Cubes from bottom to top in a District or Party. The AP cost for adding a Cube will depend on whether it’s a District or a Party, the next free Mobilization Box within it and sometimes the opponent’s Mobilization Value.
10.1.1 Mobilization in Districts
Mobilize that box. It costs a player -1 AP (to a minimum of 1) to Mobilize a box if their Mobilization Value in the District is lower than their opponent’s at the time the Cube is added.
Example: Assuming there are 2 Revolutionary Cubes and 0 Government Cube in Nevsky Shipyards, it would cost the Government 1 AP to Mobilize the first box (base 1, +1 for the white number, -1 for catching up). It would then cost 2 AP to Mobilize the second box (base 1, +2 for the white number, -1 for catching up). Then, to pull ahead, it would cost 2 AP to Mobilize the third box (base 1, +1 for the white number) and it would cost 3 AP to Mobilize the fourth box (base 1, +2 for the white number).
10.1.2 Mobilization in the Duma
The base cost for Mobilizing one Cube in a Party is 2 AP. A +1 beside a Mobilization Box is an additional cost necessary to Mobilize that box. Parties are exclusive to a player, the Revolutionary can only ever Mobilize in the Radical Party or the Socialist Party and the Government can only ever Mobilize in the Liberal Party or the Monarchist Party There is no cost reduction for catching up with your opponent in Parties.
Example: Assuming there are 3 Government Cubes in the Liberal Party, it would cost the Government 2 AP to Mobilize the fourth box, 2 AP to Mobilize the fifth box and 3 AP to Mobilize the sixth box.
10.2 Creating Organizations
To create an Organization, a player must spend a minimum of 2 AP. The number of AP dedicated to the activity will become a Mobilization Check’s bonus to create the Organization.
IMPORTANT: If a player fails a check to create an Organization, no attempts to create Organizations are permitted for the rest of their Action Round.
Each player can only have one Organization in a District or Party. Place the relevant Organization Marker on the District or Party Organization Placeholder as a reminder.
10.2.1 Party Organizations
The Revolutionary may create an Organization in the Radical Party and/or the Socialist Party while the Government may create one in the Liberal Party and/or the Monarchist Party
To create a Party Organization, a player targets a legal Party and performs a Mobilization Check (9.0) using a bonus equal to the number of AP dedicated to the activity (minimum 2). A success allows the player to:
X Put the relevant Organization Marker in the Party’s Organization Placeholder.
The base cost for Mobilizing one Cube in a District is 1 AP. A white number beside a Mobilization Box is an additional cost necessary to
X Move the Organizations Advantage Marker (5.2) two boxes in their favor.
X Benefit from a higher bonus when performing Mobilization
Checks during a Duma Vote (7.3).
X Start creating District Organizations (10.2.2) in Districts this Party can Sponsor.
Z The Radical Party can Sponsor the creation of Organizations in Worker and Military Districts.
Z The Liberal Party can Sponsor the creation of Organizations in Worker Districts. There are two markers for the Liberal Party Organization. The one with both the Worker and the Military symbols comes into play when Event #312 To Mother Russia’s Defense! is played.
Z The Monarchist Party can Sponsor the creation of Organizations in Military Districts.
Party Organizations are removed when the Tsar Abdicates (12.1) but players may try to create them again for the Parties still in play.
10.2.2 District Organizations
District Organizations in Worker or Military Districts have to be Sponsored by a Party before they can be created, meaning they can only be created if the relevant Party itself has an Organization.
X Revolutionary Military District Organizations: Called Soldiers’ Soviets and Sponsored by the Radical Party.
X Revolutionary Worker District Organizations: Called Workers’ Soviets and Sponsored by the Radical Party
X Government Military District Organizations: Called Military Discipline and Sponsored by the Monarchist Party.
X Government Worker District Organizations: Called Unions and Sponsored by the Liberal Party Urban Districts for both factions don’t need to be Sponsored by a Party (meaning there is no restriction on their creation).
10.3 Special Actions
Once per Turn, each player may use one of the Special Actions available on their faction’s player board, Central Committee for the Revolutionary and Council of Ministers for the Government. Each Special Action may only be used once per game. Move the counter beside a used Special Action to the current Action Round on the Turn Track as a reminder that this Special Action is no longer available for the remainder of the game and that the player used their Special Action for the Turn.
To play a Special Action, a player must spend the required number of Activity Points (AP).
10.3.1 Government Council of Ministers
X 2 AP – Novoye Vremia: The next time you play a Government card from your hand, you play the AP and then the Event. If the Event’s prerequisite is not met, the Special Action is wasted. Flip the marker to its Spent side after you play a Government card from your hand.
X 2 AP – Government Supporters: The next time you play a Revolutionary card from your hand (3.1), ignore the Event (you play the AP, roll the Scoring Die and then discard the card). Even if the Event’s prerequisite is not met, the Revolutionary does not get Opportunity Points and the card is not put in the Opportunity Pool. Flip the marker to its Spent side after you play a Revolutionary card from your hand.
X x AP – Political Corruption: Roll x Scoring Dice (4.0) of your choice. The Government first decides the number of dice they will roll and spends the required AP. Each die is then rolled and resolved one at a time. If a Scoring Track scores (5.0), scoring occurs before the remaining dice are rolled.
X 2 AP – Deliberate Provocation: Force a player to resolve the Growing Extremism procedure (7.1.1) with an automatic 6 result on the die, before any applicable modifiers.
X 4 or 6 AP – Show of Force: Reset one Scoring Track if 4 AP spent, or two Scoring Tracks if 6 AP spent (5.0). Put the track’s Scoring Marker back on the “Start” box, without actually scoring the track.
X 2 AP – Parliamentary Maneuver: After your Action Round, exchange your cards in hand with those of the Revolutionary.
10.3.2 Revolutionary Central Committee
To create a District Organization, a player targets an Urban District or a District that can be Sponsored and performs a Mobilization Check (9.0) using a bonus equal to the number of AP dedicated to the activity (minimum 2). If the check is in a Worker or Military District, don’t forget the bonus or penalty from adjacent Urban Districts. A success allows the player to:
X Put the relevant marker in the District’s Organization Placeholder. X Move the Organizations Advantage Marker (5.2) one box in their favor.
X If the District is an Urban District, benefit from a higher adjacency bonus when they Control the District and perform Mobilization Checks in Worker/Military Districts adjacent to this District.
X 2 AP – Pravda Propaganda: The next time you play a Revolutionary card from your hand, you play the AP and then the Event. If the Event’s prerequisite is not met, the Special Action is wasted. Flip the marker to its Spent side after you play a Revolutionary card from your hand.
X 2 AP – Socialist Sympathizers: The next time you play a Government card from your hand (3.1), ignore the Event (you play the AP, roll the Scoring Die and then discard the card). Even if the Event’s prerequisite is not met, the Government does not get Opportunity Points and the card is not put in the Opportunity Pool. Flip the marker to its Spent side after you play a Government card from your hand.
X 2 or 4 or 6 AP – Revolutionary Diplomacy: For every 2 AP spent, exchange 1 card from your hand with 1 non-Key Event card from the Opportunity Pool. You must have at least the chosen number of cards in hand and there must be at least the chosen number of eligible cards in the Opportunity Pool.
Prelude to
X 6 AP – Revolutionary Fervor: Go through the scoring sequence for a Scoring Track (5.0) of your choice.
X 4 AP – All Power to the Workers’ and Soldiers’ Soviets!: Score 1 VP for each of your fully Mobilized Worker and Military Districts.
X 4 AP – Opportunism: Gain 6 Opportunity Points.
Example: The Revolutionary spends 2 AP to play Pravda Propaganda. They place the relevant Special Action counter on the Turn Track, Pravda Propag. side up. During their next Action Round, they play a Revolutionary card from their hand. They play the AP followed by the Event (its prerequisite has been met) and then flip the Pravda Propag. marker to its Spent side.
11.0 REVOLUTIONARY UNREST
This track models the ever-rising tide of disaffection, anger, and outrage at ongoing oppression in Russia. Several Events increase the Revolutionary Unrest and very few lower it. Many Events also have a prerequisite that the Revolutionary Unrest Marker has reached a certain number. When it reaches 15, the game ends with “Red October!” (11.2).
At the end of a Turn (2.5), the marker moves up 1 space. Beside the track is a modifier that is added to the Revolutionary’s Growing Extremism rolls (7.1).
11.1 Military Preparations
VP markers will be added to this box throughout the game but won’t be awarded unless the game ends because the Revolutionary Unrest Marker reaches 15 and triggers the “Red October!” sequence (11.2).
Revolutionary VP markers for Military Preparations are called Red Guards.
Government VP markers for Military Preparations are called Loyal Troops.
Markers are put in this box by Events, and at the beginning of the game (2.1).
IMPORTANT: Always add the exact marker specified to the Military Preparations Box. They are not exchangeable; e.g., a 4 VP marker is not the same as four 1 VP markers. Some Events will refer to markers with a specific value
Example: Card #255 Desertion states “Roll a die for each 1 or 2 VP Loyal Troops Markers in the Military Preparations Box. On a roll of 6, remove the marker.” The 4 VP Loyal Troops Markers are immune to this Event.
11.2 Red October!
When players perform End of Game checks (2.6) and the Revolutionary Unrest Marker has reached 15, perform the “Red October!” sequence. Go through all the following steps in order, after which the player ahead on the VP Track wins. If the VP Marker is at 0, the Government wins. As was the case historically, there is an amount of chaos involved in the sequence, but players can plan ahead to be in a favorable position if they sense “Red October!” coming.
The Forces of Reaction:
X Each player’s Opportunity Points Marker is set to “0”.
X In each Military District with both Military Discipline and a Soldiers’ Soviet: The Government performs a +3 Mobilization Check. If the check is a success, remove the Soldiers’ Soviet from the District and adjust the Organizations Advantage Marker.
X Score the Organizations Scoring Track (5.2.1).
Example: After reducing each player’s Opportunity Points Marker to zero, the Government notes that they have Military Discipline in the Guards Regiment Barracks District along with a Soldiers’ Soviet. They have 6 Cubes in that District, so their Target Number is 9 (6 for the Mobilization Value + 3 for the check’s bonus). Adjacent Districts are uncontrolled, so they grant no bonus/incur no penalty. The roll is 8 (a success); the Soldiers’ Soviet is removed, and the Organizations Advantage Marker is adjusted one box in the Government’s favor before scoring that track.
All Power to the Soviets!:
X Each player performs a Growing Extremism roll (7.1.1), applies the results and adjusts the Duma Advantage Marker if necessary.
X Score the Duma Scoring Track (5.4.1).
Example: The Government has 2 Cubes in the Liberal Party and the Revolutionary has 2 Cubes in the Socialist Party. The Tsar has Abdicated and the Extremist Parties are out of play. The Tsar’s Prestige Marker being at 0, the Government has a +2 modifier on their Growing Extremism roll. Their roll of 1 is modified to a 3. The result is to move a Cube from their Moderate Party to their Extremist Party, but since the Monarchist Party is out of play, they remove a Cube from the Liberal Party instead.
The Revolutionary Unrest Marker is at 15, so the Revolutionary also has a +2 modifier to their unlucky Growing Extremism roll of 6, turning it to an 8. The result is to move a Cube, remove a Cube, and grant 1 VP to their opponent. The Revolutionary removes both Cubes from the Socialist Party – one because the Radical Party is out of play and they cannot move a Cube there, and one according to the check’s instructions. The Government also scores 1 VP.
Now the Duma Scoring Track scores: The Government holds a Majority in the Duma – scoring 2 VP with an extra 2 VP because the Socialist Party has zero Cubes.
Deploy the Revolutionary Vanguard:
Subtract the lower total VP value in the Military Preparations Box from the higher one, scoring the VP difference for the relevant player.
Example: The Government has 12 VP of Loyal Troops in the Military Preparations Box compared to the Revolutionary’s 4 VP of Red Guards. Subtracting 4 from 12 grants the Government 8 VP.
Rally the Workers:
X If there are more Unions than Worker’s Soviets, the Government adds a total of Cubes equal to twice the difference in any District(s).
X If there are more Workers’ Soviets than Unions, the Revolutionary adds a total of Cubes equal to twice the difference in any District(s).
X If there is an equal number of Unions and Workers’ Soviets, there is no effect.
X Adjust the position of the Districts Scoring Marker to reflect any changes, if necessary.
X Score the Districts Scoring Track (5.1.1).
Example: The Revolutionary has created four Workers’ Soviets. The Government only created one Union. 4 Workers’ Soviets minus 1 Union equals 3. The Revolutionary can add a total of 6 Cubes (twice the difference) in any District(s) – and does so to tie the Government in three Districts and take control of three other Districts, moving the Districts Advantage Marker six boxes in the Revolutionary’s favor before scoring the Districts Scoring Track.
Call for World Revolution:
X Both players roll a die. The player who rolls higher moves the World Affairs Advantage Marker one box in their favor. Reroll ties.
X Score the World Affairs Scoring Track (5.3.1).
Example: The Revolutionary rolls a 6 and the Government rolls a 6 as well. They reroll and this time the Revolutionary rolls a 2 and the Government rolls a 3. The World Affairs Advantage Marker moves one box in the Government’s favor before the World Affairs Scoring Track is scored.
Reminder: At the end of this sequence, whoever has the most VP wins. If tied, the Government wins.
12.0 TSAR’S PRESTIGE
This track measures the Tsar’s popular influence, his ability to steer events, control of the Government, and the overall strength of monarchist sympathies among the population. The Tsar’s Prestige Marker moves as a result of Events.
Beside the track is a modifier that is added to the Government’s Growing Extremism rolls (7.1).
If the marker is at 0 at the end of any Action Round (2.4), go through the Tsar Abdication sequence (12.1).
If the marker is at 15 at the end of any Action Round, the game ends and both players lose.
12.1 Tsar Abdication
At the specified step of the end of any Action Round (2.4), if the Tsar’s Prestige Marker is at 0, players perform the following steps in order.
If the current Turn is prior to February 1917, first perform these three steps. Otherwise, skip to Adjust the Collapse Deck.
X Move the Action Round Marker to the “1” space of the February 1917 Turn.
X Do not resolve any Start of Turn (2.2) steps for the February 1917 Turn.
X Discard all cards from players’ hands, from play and from the Opportunity Pool.
Example: It’s the end of the Revolutionary’s third Action Round in the Late Great War Turn. The Grigori Rasputin Key Event card is in play and they resolve it, rolling a 4 and driving the Tsar’s Prestige Marker to 0. Since no End of Game check is positive, the Action Round Marker jumps forward to Action Round 1 in February 1917, and all cards are discarded from players’ hands, from play and from the Opportunity Pool. Then players keep following the rest of these steps.
Adjust the Collapse Deck
X Each player makes note of their number of cards in hand.
Z If Abdication was triggered prior to February 1917: Consider that hand size to be seven.
X Remove the cards with star-and-triangles on their lower left from play, the Collapse Draw Deck, Opportunity Pool, Key Events and players’ hands.
X Place any Provisional Government Key Event cards from the current or prior Turns into the Opportunity Pool.
X Shuffle the cards in players’ hands together with the remaining cards in the Collapse Draw Deck and the non-Key Events Provisional Government cards that were set aside at the beginning of the game to form a new Collapse Draw Deck.
X Each player draws back up to their previous hand size.
X If Abdication was triggered prior to February 1917:
Z Place the top four cards of the Collapse Deck into the Opportunity Pool, as well as the Alexander Kerensky and Vladimir Lenin Key Events.
Z The player with fewer VP selects who will be First Player for the Turn (if the VP Marker is at 0, the Revolutionary makes that decision).
Example: In this example, Abdication takes place during the October 1917 Turn. The players note their hand sizes: the Government has four cards in hand, the Revolutionary has three cards in hand. All cards with star-and-triangles are removed from play, from the Collapse Deck, from the Opportunity Pool and from players’ hands. All remaining cards in the players’ hands are shuffled with the Collapse Deck and the Provisional Government cards. The Revolutionary draws three cards and the Government four, back up to their hand size when Abdication was triggered. Two Provisional Government Key Event cards from the prior Turn (Elect the Constituent Assembly and Petrograd Soviet) are placed into the Opportunity Pool. No other adjustments are made to the Opportunity Pool or Opportunity Points.
Form the Provisional Government
X Remove all Cubes from the Radical Party and Monarchist Party
X Remove half the Cubes, discarding any odd remainder, from the Socialist Party and Liberal Party (e.g., a Party with 5 Cubes would be reduced to 2 Cubes).
X Remove all Party Organizations.
X Place an “Out of Play” marker in the Organization Placeholders of the Radical Party and Monarchist Party. These Parties are no longer in play; players cannot Mobilize Cubes or create an Organization in them.
X Place an “Out of Play” marker in the “4” boxes of the Duma Scoring Track.
X Adjust the Organizations and Duma Advantage Markers as required by any of the above changes.
The World Reacts!
X The First Player may spend any number of Opportunity Points, then the Second Player may spend any number as well.
X Move the World Affairs Advantage Marker one box toward the player who spent more Opportunity Points.
12.1.1 Post-Abdication changes
Tsar Abdication changes a few things in the game, as summarized here and in the relevant rules sections.
X It is no longer possible for players to hold Dominance in the Duma (5.4).
X Organizations may be created or recreated as normal for Parties still in play.
X As per 10.2.2, while the Extremist Parties are out of play, the Revolutionary may not create Organizations in Worker or Military Districts, and the Government may not create Organizations in Military Districts.
X If the Government must perform a Growing Extremism roll (7.1.1), their check modifier from the Tsar’s Prestige Track is +2.
X Ignore any effect that would increase or decrease the Tsar’s Prestige.
X Both players perform a Growing Extremism roll (7.1.1) when the Duma Scoring Track scores (5.4.1).
13.0 RANDOM DISTRICTS
Some Events will call for a random District to be selected. When this happens, roll a blue die and a red die, and consult the chart below:
14.0 CARD CLARIFICATIONS
If a card instructs a player to perform more than one Mobilization Check, each Mobilization Check is performed and resolved one at a time.
Card #1 – Vyborg Manifesto: The Opportunity Points are spent for the sole purpose of the Event and can’t be used to purchase cards in the Opportunity Pool.
Card #3 – Tsar Attends Regimental Review: This can possibly carry over into the next Turn if the Event was played on the 8th Action Round. If Peter Stolypin is in play, it would still trigger after the Government skips their Action Round.
Cards #8-9-12-13-128-129-224-225-229 – Revolutionary Activities: If playing the card from their hand, remember the Revolutionary can choose to use the card’s AP to perform activities, as usual.
Cards #29-30-32-33-34-113-147-206-207-226-227 – Government Activities: If playing the card from their hand, remember the Government can choose to use the card’s AP to perform activities, as usual.
Card #39 – Direct Appeal to the People: The Liberal Party can Sponsor Worker Districts. The Monarchist Party can Sponsor Military Districts. The Radical Party can Sponsor Worker and Military Districts.
Card #41 – Building Support: In a legal District where the Revolutionary has a Mobilization Value of 8 or 9, the Government’s Mobilization Value would still top at 7.
Card #45 – Stolypin’s Neckties: The last three sentences are all conditional to Peter Stolypin being in play.
Card #46 – A Revolutionary Assembly!: If the Radical Party’s Mobilization Value is 4 and the Socialist Party’s Mobilization Value is 3, x = 3. If the Radical Party’s Mobilization Value is 7 and the Socialist Party’s Mobilization Value is 8, x = 6.
Card #104 – Duma Prorogued: If the Event was played during the first Action Round of a Duma Session, the Duma is not considered in Session during the next Action Round.
Card #107 – Appeals to Patriotism: If choosing the first option and x is at least 2, the Government could choose to remove 2 Revolutionary Cubes from a District where the Revolutionary had one more Cube than the Government at the time the Event was played.
Cards #111-115 – Duma Election: If rolling a District that was previously rolled, roll again.
Cards #119-120 – Military Disaster: These cards are the reason why a roll from the WAR! card can be zero or lower.
Card #122 – Land, Bread, Peace!: The Government and the Revolutionary can still play one of their own Special Action during the Turn. Novoye Vremia would behave just like Pravda Propaganda and Government Supporters would behave just like Socialist Sympathizers.
Cards #125-239 – Military Pride: Using this Event, the Government doesn’t need to have an Organization in the Monarchist Party or card #312 in play in order to create Military Discipline.
Card #132 – Germany Declares War on Russia!: The Government wouldn’t add 2 Cubes in the Monarchist Party, wouldn’t score 2 VP and the Tsar’s Prestige would not go up. But they would start rolling for Prestige gain or loss at the end of their Action Rounds from now on.
Cards #140-233 – Rallying Support Among the Population: The Government could add 2 Cubes in a District where the Revolutionary had one more Cube than the Government at the time the Event was played.
Card #215 – Determined to Fight On!: For example, if the Revolutionary Unrest Marker is at 12, the Government would add 1 Cube in seven distinct Districts.
Card #218 – Forces of Reaction: For example, the Government scores 1 VP if the Revolutionary spends 4 AP in a single Action Round to Mobilize.
Card #222 – Agitation and Disruption: If the card is played by the Government, the Revolutionary would thus have the chance to play it from the Opportunity Pool during the following Turn.
Card #231 – Left Wing Newspapers: A Scoring Marker can never be moved left of the “Start” box.
Card #232 – Masonic Connection: The Cubes could all be removed from the same District, if the Government so chooses.
Card #234 – Mass Support: This basically means that the cost for the Revolutionary to Mobilize one Cube in a District with no Union or Military Discipline will never be more than 1 AP until the end of the game.
Card #235 – Right Wing Newspapers: A Scoring Marker can never be moved left of the “Start” box.
Card #242 – Radical Priests Sermonize: This can possibly carry over into the next Turn if the Event was played on the 8th Action Round. During the next Action Round, if the Revolutionary does not play a card from their hand, the Event is wasted.
Card #243 – Representative Legislature: Yes, under the right circumstances, that can be a scary VP engine.
Card #245 – Workers Receive Extra Food Rations: The Opportunity Points gained could be used to improve the result of subsequent Mobilization Checks.
Card #249 – Nicholas II Abdicates: This will lead to the Tsar Abdication (12.1).
Card #250 – War Industry: For example, if the Revolutionary Unrest Marker is at 12, the Government would add 1 Cube in seven distinct Districts, starting with the four Worker Districts. The Government can ignore their fully Mobilized Worker Districts and add the Cube(s) elsewhere.
Card #254 – Tempers Flare in the Duma: If a player has only one Party in play, they only make a single Mobilization Check. Each successful check grants the first two benefits and a choice between the last two.
Card #255 – Desertion: Total the number of 1-VP markers and roll a die for each. Then total the number of 2-VP markers and roll a die for each.
Card #256 – Arrests, Exiles, and Executions: If the card is played by the Revolutionary, the Government would thus have the chance to play it from the Opportunity Pool during the following Turn.
Card #301 – Treason!: The Vladimir Lenin card would no longer be considered in play until the Revolutionary plays it again from the Opportunity Pool.
Card #304 – July Days: For example, if the Revolutionary Unrest Track is at 12, the Revolutionary would perform a Mobilization Check with a Target Number of 12. If the check fails, the Vladimir Lenin card would no longer be considered in play until the Revolutionary plays it again from the Opportunity Pool.
Card #312 – To Mother Russia’s Defense!: If the Liberal Organization was already created, replace the Organization Marker with the one pictured on the card. Otherwise, remember to use the marker pictured on the card when the Government creates it. Apart from card #239, this card is the only way the Government can create Military Discipline after the Tsar has Abdicated.
Card #404 – WAR!: The two Military Disaster cards can subtract 1 to the die roll. That’s how it can be 0 or less.
Card #409 – Duma Elects Council of Ministers: For example, if the Districts Advantage Marker is on the leftmost “3” box favoring the Government, the Government would add 3 Cubes in the Duma. If at least one of these Cubes would be added in the Liberal Party, the Event would remain in play as a prerequisite to other Events.
Card #410 – Elect the Constituent Assembly: For example, if the Districts Advantage Marker is on the leftmost “3” box favoring the Government and the Government is able to add at least 1 Cube in the Liberal Party, the Event would remain in play as a prerequisite to other Events.
15.0 DESIGNER NOTES
The idea for this game arose during a play session of Prelude to Rebellion: Mobilization & Unrest in Lower Canada – somehow the combination of urban vs. rural counties, card events, cubes, and the steadily rising “Rebellious Spirit” Track just seemed a perfect mix of factors to model the run-up to the Russian Revolution. I imagined a game where political struggles would eventually devolve into open rebellion, challenging players to control events and guide the game’s direction. This was the start of a long, interesting, and demanding design process that culminated in the game you have in your hands today. The idea was to take the well-designed system from Prelude to Rebellion, graft the Russian Revolution onto it and see what came of it. The underlying game system is already solid, innovative, fun, and challenging. So, how difficult could it be?
I am here to tell you that “standing on the shoulders of giants” should be easier! As a first-time game designer, I was not prepared for all the challenges and decisions that would come up.
First and foremost: Who are the primary actors in this story? While it was tempting to say Lenin and Nicholas II, that would be a mistake. Lenin was not directly involved in the Revolution until April 1917. Nicholas abdicated but the Revolution continued for eight more months. After much consideration and many permutations, we settled upon the Revolutionary and the Government – two consistent entities throughout the entire saga.
Next question: What should the geographic scope of the game be? After several rounds, the discussion brought us to the conclusion that the center of the revolution was in St. Petersburg (later Petrograd). It was events there – especially from 1914 onwards – that shaped and drove the descent into chaos. That led us to the idea of districts on a map of that city.
Many of the mechanics in Rebellion were retained, but we needed a mechanism to reflect two critical factors of the Russian Revolution. We had to implement the Duma (the quasi-parliament, grudgingly created by the Tsar after the revolution of 1905, which was the political vortex of the revolution), and the possibility of the Tsar’s Abdication (after which the entire political complexion of Russia changed radically). This challenge spurred the introduction of several new concepts.
The Duma reflects the internal struggles of each player to balance the demands of their moderate and radical wings, as well as the need to organize the parties to support grass roots organizations. The “Growing Extremism” mechanic is subtle and brutal, gradually leeching support away from moderate political solutions to more radical and violent means. In game terms, building up your Extremist Party confers short-term advantages but creates long-term problems – including VP losses.
Nod to Russian History Folks: Yes, I know there were a lot more parties and nuances to the politics of the time… but part of game design, I have learned, is figuring out how to consolidate and simplify for the sake of scale and playability.
The Tsar’s Prestige Track models Nicholas II’s influence plus the overall support he enjoys. It moves up and down in response to card Events – and can have an extreme impact on the game. If the Track reaches zero, the Tsar Abdicates and the game-state abruptly and radically changes. Cards are discarded, new cards added, and the Duma is reformulated as the Provisional Government (a weak caretaker government that stood for only eight months, from February 1917 until the Bolshevik coup in October 1917). And, if the Track reaches 15 then it’s game
over! Autocracy is reimposed, the Duma dissolved, Liberal politicians are banished, the Revolutionaries hanged or sent to Siberia – resulting in a loss for both players!
There’s plenty more, but the overarching concept is that players are increasingly confronted with critical events and game circumstances that force them to turn away from their own agendas to cope with game-imposed disasters. The theme is felt ever more acutely as each Action Round passes and the tension accelerates. Events grow in intensity as players move through The Great War into the Collapse of 1917, where the pace continues to quicken.
The game strives to model this dynamic time rather than directly simulate the historical events. While there are many card events that mirror the history and the actual historical personages (yes, Lenin is in there, and so is Rasputin) – the goal is to impart the experience of a long but ever more rapid slide into anarchy. And while the game does reward smart play, it is always possible to get “caught unawares” by a sudden, decisive shift in the politics that leaves you scrambling. Please enjoy the ride and take your pick: “All Power to the Soviets” or “God Save the Tsar.”
16.0 PLAYER’S STRATEGY GUIDE
One benefit of historical games such as this is an organic learning process, especially with regard to the major intrinsic Events played out on the board. This holds true for both historical and what-if scenarios. In Prelude to Revolution, the historical flavor of the cards and their embedded text drive an immersive experience.
The key personality cards, such as Lenin, Peter Stolypin, and Grigori Rasputin – and the ability to both play and remove (i.e., assassinate) them from the game – creates a sandbox-type environment that adds to the already high replay value. The overall design focuses players’ attention on the important aspects of the time that contributed to the revolution (e.g., Mobilization of Districts, creation of Government and Revolutionary Organizations, etc.)
From a strategic perspective there is much to consider.
As with many card-driven games, you will not have enough resources (Activity Points or Opportunity Points) to accomplish everything you want. You will be challenged to find a balance between advancing your own plan, countering the moves of your opponent, and avoiding the collateral damage of your choices.
There are several key strategic areas players should keep in mind. There are endless ways to approach winning, but the smart player will have their eye on the following factors – and Prelude to Revolution truly does reward smart play.
Districts
Swaying popular opinion in the various Urban, Military, and Worker Districts through Mobilization (placement of Cubes) is critical. Mirroring the reality of the time, some Districts are easier for the Government to influence, while the Revolutionary will need to put in more effort (i.e., AP) to move public opinion to their majority. Other Districts are the reverse.
Often, as the Revolutionary, you can gain a lot of ground by focusing efforts on controlling Districts. You start off the game controlling six more Districts than the Government, reflecting the general sentiment that reform and change was needed. And soon plenty of opportunities
for you to increase that lead come along. By focusing on inexpensive Mobilization – boxes that cost 1 AP, usually in Revolutionary-leaning districts or when catching up – you can build this lead up to a point at which the Government will have to abandon their agenda to catch up.
As the Government, you typically have other fish to fry (see the sections on the Duma and Organizations) and may not want to lavish too many AP on the control of Districts. Smart play of card Events, or the occasional spending of a 6-AP card for Activity Points, will usually serve to keep the Revolutionary lead manageable.
Control of Worker and Military Districts will tend to be a focus – several powerful cards across all three Eras are keyed to control of or Mobilization Value in these critical Districts. However, neither player can afford to ignore the Urban Districts. Notably, you’re permitted to build Organizations in Urban Districts without requiring an Organization in the Duma. So, investing in Mobilizing these Districts can yield important early gains on the Organizations Scoring Track.
Leveraging the adjacency control modifiers for Mobilization Checks in the Military and Worker Districts can be crucial. Keep the adjacency connections in view when Mobilizing – remember that a friendlycontrolled Urban District with an Organization can confer a +2 die roll modifier, a big benefit when comes the time to get the troops and workers organized.
The Duma
Managing the balance between the Moderate and Extremist Parties in the Duma has both short and long-term impacts. Allowing either Party to become overpowered will have long-term consequences and will provide your opponent with opportunities to exploit.
As the Government, you start holding Dominance in the Duma, and will often keep your focus there in the first Era of the game (Years of Turmoil) to gain a solid upper hand. This may force the Revolutionary to divert Activity Points from the Mobilization of Districts. Also, keep in mind that there are a number of very powerful cards enabled when you achieve sufficient control over the Duma.
Keeping an eye on the Mobilization Values of your Extremist Party (the Monarchist Party for the Government, the Radical Party for the Revolutionary) is very important. In the early game, players tend to build up those parties to gain or break Dominance. The Revolutionary will need to build an Organization in the Radical Party to allow creation of Soldiers’ and Workers’ Soviets. Consequently, adding Cubes sounds like a good idea.
However, in the long run, an overly powerful Extremist Party will be detrimental to your cause. Take careful note of the Growing Extremism roll which can trigger during Duma Votes and Duma Scoring. This roll will gradually but persistently leech Cubes out of your Moderate Party, often adding them to your Extremist Party.
A vicious cycle emerges: you have a strong Extremist Party, which is more likely to succeed in Votes and has the highest Mobilization Value during Duma Scoring, which triggers more Growing Extremism rolls, which makes the Extremists even stronger, which makes them even more likely to succeed… you get the idea.
Also, moving and removing Cubes can impact your Majority or Dominance. Extremist politics will start costing you VP early in the game. In mid and late game, you’ll find your Moderate Party depleted or even empty (a VP penalty when the Duma scores), and eventually you’ll find the Extremist Party fully Mobilized (all Mobilization Boxes filled with Cubes), costing you more VP even when you have yet more successes!
If Abdication looms, take a good look at how the Duma will shape up after the Tsar steps down. The Extremist Parties go out of play and the Moderate Parties are reduced by half, which may be beneficial in some circumstances. You could end up with a convincing Majority if your opponent is heavily committed to his Extremist Party (another downside of over-investing in extremists!).
Organizations
As Districts gain support, the ability to Organize them will strengthen your cause and provide an ongoing source of VP throughout the game. Controlling Districts and creating Organizations can be a viable game-winning strategy.
An important note about Organizations is that each box of the Scoring Track is worth 2 VP! Since creating an Organization in the Duma moves the Advantage Marker two boxes in your favor, it is fairly easy to pick up a 4, 6, or even 8-VP advantage.
As the Government, you will often focus upon building Organizations in the Duma early on. This will allow you to organize Worker and Military Districts. This is expensive in AP and time consuming but critical to keep from falling too far behind on the Organizations Scoring Track.
As the Revolutionary, keep in mind that creating Organizations in Urban Districts does not require a Sponsoring Organization in the Duma. This might be a quicker way to move the Organizations Advantage Marker in your favor, without siphoning off too many AP from building up support in the Districts. And it improves your chances of creating Organizations in Worker and Military Districts later.
But be warned: as with most decisions in the game, focusing mainly in one area (Mobilizing and creating Urban Districts Organizations) will allow your opponent to influence and organize other areas more easily.
World Affairs
The world is watching! Do not underestimate the value of the World Affairs Track. The World Affairs Advantage Marker moves almost exclusively through card Events. Consequently, getting world opinion in your favor can result in a steady stream of VP when that Track scores. This can be quite valuable in the end-game strategy.
Players should think twice – maybe thrice – before they use a card that moves World Affairs for the Activity Points rather than the Event. Be aware that later in the game there are more cards that can move this Track two boxes (e.g., Ten Days that Shook the World).
Opportunity Points and the Opportunity Pool
Opportunity Points are critical resources: they allow you to purchase cards from the Opportunity Pool, to turn your failed Mobilization Checks into successes, to enable or enhance some card Events, and to bid for advantages in several game mechanics. Managing these points and maximizing their impact should be an important part of your overall planning.
Don’t be shy about lavishing Opportunity Points on important Mobilization Checks, especially early on for those critical Organizations in the Duma. Using Opportunity Points when building Organizations in the Radical Party or Monarchist Party is a way to avoid Mobilizing too many Cubes in those Parties (see the tips about Growing Extremism in the Duma section above for reasons).Watching the Tsar’s Prestige is important when managing Opportunity Points. Since the pre-1917
Abdication procedure does not refresh Opportunity Points, a looming Abdication (Tsar’s Prestige is approaching zero) may be a reason to hold onto these vital points for the upcoming rollercoaster ride. You must keep an eye on cards in the Opportunity Pool. They represent possible plays for you, and potential threats from your opponent. When a particularly dangerous card shows up in the pool, you will need to pursue a deliberate strategy to mitigate its threat. You will also need to carefully manage your own use of Opportunity Points – there’s nothing more frustrating than having a hammer-blow card in the Opportunity Pool and not having enough Opportunity Points to purchase and play it!
Lastly, there are several cards that cause players to gain or lose Opportunity Points (Expropriations or Okhrana Infiltrates Revolutionary Cells, for example). Additionally, remember there will be Opportunity Point bidding on some cards (Vyborg Manifesto) and during the Abdication procedure to move the World Affairs Advantage Marker. Familiarity with these will put you at an advantage.
Cards
The cards are the backbone of the game. Remember to keep your eye on the Opportunity Pool and watch for card combinations that can accelerate your progress. Also, note that it is perfectly legal for both players to look through the discard pile.
As with many card-driven games, after several playthroughs the players will begin to recognize and anticipate specific cards. Knowledge of the cards (the “history” behind the game) becomes a valuable asset. A discussion of several cards will illustrate some of the strategic decisions that need to be made.
General Strike is a 6-AP Revolutionary card. It allows the Revolutionary to add 6 cubes in Worker Districts (max 2/District) and then perform a +3 Mobilization Check where 2 Cubes were added. Each successful check scores 1 VP. Six AP is a lot (it’s the highest value in the game), especially early on when you are trying to build up Dominance in the Duma or control over the Districts. Playing this card’s Event is probably not realistic early in the game. So, do you wait to build up Worker Districts before playing this card or do you use it for the AP? It depends on your situation and your strategy. A strong card can force your opponent to respond and even change their strategy. Forcing your opponent to play defensively while you advance your strategy is key to winning Prelude to Revolution.
A Revolutionary Assembly! is a 4-AP Revolutionary card. What if you are the Government and you draw this card – when should you play it? This card allows the Revolutionary to “perform activities worth x AP, where x is equal to the lowest Mobilization Value of a Revolutionary Party.” As the Government, you can play this card when one of the Revolutionary Parties is low in the Duma – perhaps after you play a card that removes Cubes from the Duma (e.g., Political Terrorism or Political Weariness). Looking for these card combinations can drastically increase (or in this case, reduce) the impact of card Events.
The WAR! card (an Early Great War Key Event) has impact on both sides. It raises the Tsar’s Prestige, but also adds support (Cubes) in the Monarchist Party in the Duma. Balance in the Parties, for both the Government and the Revolutionary, is important to maintain. Several cards, some of them very nasty such as Military Disaster, are only playable for the Event if the WAR! card is in play.
Central War Industries Committee is a very powerful Government card if the Monarchist Party Organization has been created and WAR!
has been played. However, its impact is offset by the equally strong Industrial Workers Against the War Revolutionary card. The decision to declare war or not will change from game to game. The play of this Key Event is very much dependent upon your particular hand, as well as the cards in the Opportunity Pool and the cards that have already been played (I have won and lost games on both sides in which war never broke out). Also remember that the fate of the nation might not be entirely in your hands as Germany can declare war as well!
Revolutionary Unrest and Tsar’s Prestige
Regardless of which side you play, once the Tsar’s Prestige begins to slide, Abdication of the throne becomes very difficult to prevent. As the Government you can look for Events to bolster the Tsar’s Prestige, but often this will come at the expense of controlling some Districts, creating Organizations, or holding Dominance in the Duma. Grigori Rasputin can drive the Tsar’s Prestige down pretty quickly. You may want to think twice about playing the WAR! Key Event to bump up the Tsar’s Prestige – it also enables so many nasty Events it may not be advisable to use it.
Both sides need to prepare for the very real possibility the Tsar will be forced to step down. If this happens during the Great War Era, you will have to discard all your cards – so try to play your strong cards before the Tsar Abdicates. Extremist Parties will go out of play, and the Provisional Government consists of half the number of Moderate Cubes. This could change Organizations and Duma Advantage, and impact scoring. But, consider the Abdication event carefully and objectively… it may end up being to your benefit. For example, if your opponent is heavily Mobilized in their Extremist Party but very light in their Moderate Party, Abdication will leave them with a fraction of their influence in the Duma.
Conversely, if Revolutionary Unrest rises to 15 on the Track, an armed uprising is triggered (Red October!) and the game ends with a final scoring phase. It is difficult to prepare for, as the chaos of the revolution introduces unpredictable elements into the end game. At the very least, if Red October! appears imminent, both sides should keep an eye on the Military Preparations Box – the difference between the Loyal Troops and the Red Guards value is scored as straight-up VP. Military might is the one thing that is not left to chance. For the Government, it can be a game winning strategy to build up Military Preparations over the course of the game and then provoke Red October! by forcing the Revolutionary Unrest up through card Events.
Special Actions
It is easy to overlook the Special Actions, available to each player (Central Committee for the Revolutionary, Council of Ministers for the Government). These can have a profound impact on the game. The Special Actions are purchased for AP, some played immediately, others triggering on a subsequent Action Round. They can only be played once per game so some patience and strategic thought will be well rewarded. An important thing to keep in mind is that there are six Special Actions for each player, and as many as seven Turns in the game. If you let too many Turns pass without using a Special Action then you may run out of time to use them later in the game.
Pravda Propaganda (Revolutionary) and Novoye Vremia (Government) allow you to play a card for BOTH the AP and the Event. For a 4 or 6-AP card, this can result in a significant swing in Districts or Duma control, Organization creation and in the momentum of the game itself. Timing of this Special Action with the right card can be a game
changer. Socialist Sympathizers (Revolutionary) and Government Supporters (Government) allow you to play an opponent’s card for the AP only and ignore the Event, providing a great opportunity to dump a potentially damaging card. It is really tempting to play these inexpensive and powerful Special Actions very early on, but saving them for a “hammer blow” late in the game can be a winning strategy. Both players can also use Special Actions to garner Victory Points, change their cards, and generally mess with the other player. It is worth reading over the available choices (for both you and your opponent) before the game, and to keep them in mind during gameplay.
Closing words
Prelude to Revolution: Russia’s Descent into Anarchy 1905–1917 is an immersive card-driven game that requires planning and taking risks. It provides historical tension in its back-and-forth gameplay and will certainly teach you something about the chaotic time that led to the Russian Revolution.
“A revolution is always distinguished by impoliteness, probably because the ruling classes did not take the trouble in good season to teach the people fine manners.”
– Leon TrotskySo, choose your side, don’t play nice, and have fun!
Dr. Don LevickPlaytester
17.0 CREDITS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It turns out that it does take a village. Designing a game, at least in my experience, was a team effort. I cannot possibly acknowledge and thank everyone who contributed to the development of this game, but here’s my best try:
Marco Poutré designed and developed an innovative, nuanced, and enjoyable CDG called Prelude to Rebellion. This game sparked the idea of a game about the mess and chaos that was the Russian Revolution, and provided the solid and durable engine upon which to build that game.
The excellent and comprehensive books by the late Dr. Richard Pipes provided much of the context and perspective on the events modeled in this game. His works made sense out of the difficult and complex topic of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Russia. This game is dedicated to his memory.
A game that truly inspired me is Triumph of Chaos, designed by Dave Dockter. The feeling of ever-building chaos, the idea of the game events forcing players to abandon their agendas, and the flavorful treatment of the Russian Civil War gave me direction and ideas for this game.
And, of course, the outstanding crew of playtesters and advisors who shaped and drove this game to its final state.
The team at Metropolitan Wargamers of NYC (list incomplete: Mike Lorino, Mike Demko, Angela Sutton, Kyle Goldberg), who formed the brain trust and creative forum that brought the game to life. Also, many thanks to Michael Kirk whose painstaking copy editing made my ramblings more readable. And to my brother Marc Willner for his tireless involvement. And Doug Brunton, who got us going with the first Vassal module for the game.
And especially Don Levick, who dedicated much time and toil to bring this game to fruition, and who co-authored the Player’s Strategy Guide.
Finally, I must express gratitude to Bill Thomas, John Kranz, and the team at Compass Games for the chance to undertake this massive, crazy project.
18.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY
There is a huge volume of literature on the Russian Revolution, but here are my key influences on the thinking that went into the game’s design:
Books
McMeekin, Sean. The Russian Revolution: A New History. Basic Books, 2017.
Pipes, Richard. The Russian Revolution. Vintage Books, 1991.
Pipes, Richard. Russia Under the Bolshevik Regime. Vintage Books, 1995.
Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr. August 1914: The Red Wheel Knot 1. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014.
Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr. November 1916: The Red Wheel Knot 2. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014.
Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr. March 1917: The Red Wheel Knot 3, Books 1, 2, and 3. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014.
Podcasts
Duncan, Mike. Revolutions: The Russian Revolution (Series 10). Apple Podcasts.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revolutions/id703889772
Games
Dockter, David. Triumph of Chaos v2: Deluxe Edition. Clash of Arms Games, 2019.
Poutré, Marco. Prelude to Rebellion: Mobilization and Unrest in Lower Canada. Compass Games, 2018.